Sporting Integrity? Only where Rangers are concerned…

42


After a few years of cold
storage, that buzzphrase ‘Sporting Integrity’ reared its
ugly head recently, as espoused by Hibs CEO Leeann Dempster when the SPFL
initially announced that the final match day for the Championship run-in would
be split over the calendar weekend.
Four matches would be played on
the Saturday, including Hibs’ trip to Falkirk,
and Hearts v Rangers would be played the day after, for broadcast purposes.
This resulted in Ms Dempster’s outrage that Rangers would be afforded an
advantage by knowing what they had to do to finish second, whereas of course
all matches played simultaneously removes that factor.

Hearts happily joined in with
glee when ‘Sporting Integrity’ was conveniently retrieved from the
Scottish football archives, and disappointingly Rangers’ own Stuart McCall was
forced to side with them too.
Now before I go further – it was unfair to have Rangers play after
Hibs’ season was finished, knowing that potentially only requiring to draw
might enough, certainty which would be removed if all fixtures happened at the
same time. But it really is starting to get just a little grating to see ‘Sporting
Integrity’
rolled out every time Scotland has a problem with
something which could benefit Rangers.
As Barry Ferguson (and let us
face it, everyone else) has said, there was no sign of this ‘Sporting Integrity’
helping Rangers in 2008. Indeed, the phrase was used to crucify the Govan Club’s
chances of the League and Uefa Cup double.
And here we are, seven years
later, and Rangers’ rivals once again use that phrase to attack something which
would help Rangers.
In 2010, two years after European
competition was mercilessly ignored for Rangers by the SPL, they did the exact
opposite when Celtic needed their help for similar purposes:
“It has been confirmed this morning
that St Mirren’s first two games against Celtic this season have been
rescheduled. Due to Celtic’s involvement
in the Europa League playoffs,
the SPL have confirmed that St Mirren’s upcoming
away fixture against the Glasgow
side will be put back 24 hours.
” (06/08/2010)
And yet when Rangers had a Uefa
final to play, Celtic’s Peter Lawwell ensured Rangers would not have the same
privilege:
“In principle, we accept fixture
flexibility. However, the league must not be compromised by changing the rules
during the course of the competition and these decisions should not be made on
an ad-hoc basis. Therefore, we oppose the decision and feel, in fact, that it
has compromised the integrity of the competition.”
(22/04/08)
By ‘in principle’ he meant ‘as
long as it does not help Rangers’.
And so here we are in 2015 and
that ‘Sporting Integrity’ phrase has arisen again.
I reiterate, I accept that
Rangers should not have had the advantage on the final day – but then, equally,
Celtic should not have had the league advantage in 2008. Rangers were punished
for European success, and Peter Lawwell made damn sure of it.
And the use of ‘Sporting
Integrity’
only ever seems to apply when Rangers are involved.

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42 COMMENTS

    • Using the death of a former player to get a game cancelled was not mentioned either but then again what do we expect from embarrassed by nothing offended by everything football club, so away & troll some other site ya mutant or maybe you could report the historical child abuse at your club to the proper authorities, what do you think about that one

    • EBT's were legal at the time when Rangers (and Celtic) used them. Hence the reason neither side have ever been punished for the use of them (despite all.the self proclaimed experts shouting for punishment and even the experts have ruled that they were used in the manner intended)…..HMRC have been backed into a corner over EBT's due to their own stupidity in making the statement that they would appeal, appeal & appeal again. If you look closely at the last report as handed down by the UTT it derided HMRC for "bringing nothing new to their case"….. now that IS a huge waste of public finance …. but I supose that is ok coz it's against the "only shoe in town"

    • Totally right , the complete football calender wasn't cancelled when Davy Cooper died . SFA ruled by Lawell , Rilley and co , plus Reids clout and influence as part of the corrupt Labour government which persued Rangers for using Ebt's when the likes of Man u ,Liverpool , Arsenal etc had used them to a greater scale . They still conspire against Rangers behind the scenes to this day using the laughable cloak of ' sporting integrity ' , the bastards have no shame .

  1. The SPL decided to accommodate Rangers by extending the league programme until two days before the Scottish Cup final. This final was on the last possible date before clubs were ordered to release players for that year’s Uefa European Championships, which started 14 days later.

    This season has echoes of 2008 but nothing more. Whereas clubs would have been forbidden from using certain players after the date of the Scottish Cup final in 2008, under current proposals for this year, the second bottom club from the Premiership and qualifier from the Championship will need to retain a number of players beyond their contract end date of 31 May.

    Retaining players beyond 31 May will cost clubs money, and players could theoretically refuse to extend their season by a few days, which is this season’s problem. 2008’s problem was a hard deadline imposed by Uefa with no extensions possible. The decision was out of the SPL’s hands.

    • If, theoretically, the league had been given permission to run on beyond the cup final fto help Rangers, then Celtic would have been without Jan Vennegoor Of Hesselink, Georgious Samaras and Artur Boruc.

  2. "Sporting Integrity" don't make me laugh. Hibs Rod Petrie wanted Rangers to agree to our club honours being stripped before we were judged. How did that work out Mr Petrie, Integrity really. How about last week when Hibs played Hearts and refused to show a little respect by forming a guard of honour, do you mean that Sporting Integrity. Do you remember when sporting integrity applied to Aberdeen, a club due to be relegated and rules changed to help Milne and co, short memories. What about Dundee United, Thompson charging Rangers fans twice for the same match, has this man any integrity. Celtic and Peter, the club and CEO who caused the referee strike with their never defeated always cheated rhetoric, that sporting integrity. Vlad at Hearts would talk up sporting integrity also and we all know what happened there, Vlad and integrity, what a concept. How were Hearts treated in comparison to Rangers, sporting integrity anyone. The boards and fans of the SPL clubs tried to destroy Rangers without evidence, with their sporting integrity of Rangers being guilty until proven innocent. Mob rule is the unfair justice dished out to Rangers by Clubs who have cheated Rangers to try and advance themselves in a corrupt league where the main benefactors Celtic win tainted title after tainted title.

    • Your are right on every title they will win with Rangers not being there is also tainted .Are far as the shite bags at SFA they are just a joke.LOL

    • What are Celtic meant to do though?
      Old gers for obvious reasons will never compete with Celtic again.
      The new gers will, in time, if they are run correctly.
      What I can't understand is how you are under the impression that the titles are tainted.

    • Rangers three years of dominance had left Peter L's job on a shoogley peg. When Peter realised Rangers had problems he schemed and lied with the SPL to ensure Rangers would be hung out to dry without any evidence. Rangers accused of the EBTs that Celtic had as well and Celtic's former manager was also involved in tax avoidance schemes. Celtic fans conveniently forget this. Celtic athletic or pacific shelf or frankenceltic, whatever they are called were motivated by greed and there unhealthy obsession of all things Rangers. With no proof and very little understanding of the situation at Ibrox, the deceivers would impose illegal penalties. The purpose of this deceit was to destroy Rangers. Every trophy won by the Premier SPFL clubs have been through scheming and cheating of Rangers Football Club. If Celtic or the others had any decency then they would apologise to Scotland's most successful Club. They also stole revenues that were owed to Rangers. Celtic could not beat Rangers fair and square so they schemed and only have tainted prizes that have no value. A lot of Pacific shelf fans realise this and refuse to go to parkhead as this is too shameful a way to win, hence the empty stadium.
      Celtic's cheating doesn't stop there though. Legia Warsaw beat them fair and square and not for the first time they would cheat their way through into the next round. Celtic had be put out of Europe three times in one season.
      There was also the unsavoury situation with Celtic in the cup competitions that would see them pay an ex-player who is the manager of Dundee United in an incident that could be described as conflict of interest by buying two players from United that would weaken the Dundee side and hand the advantage to Celtic. Sporting Integrity Indeed. Allegedly of course.

  3. Get over it pal. Season 2007-8 WAS extended by 4 days in order that Rangers could complete their backlog of fixtures caused by 1. A mid-winter break by the club and 2. A flooded Ibrox pitch for a cup-tie.

    • And your club using the death of a former player to get a game against Rangers cancelled remember that your team had injuries & suspensions by the bucket load & it just so happened the Rangers captain at that time was closer to the player than any of your clubs players who none knew but why let that get in the way of your ultimate goal eh Cheetin fuckers

  4. I have no problem with the decisions taken by Scottish clubs in their treatment of Rangers. They are, however, accountable for their actions. Rangers first and Rangers only. Total boycott of all grounds in Scotland. If we are good enough the lack of support wont be a factor.

    • 'Total boycott of all grounds in Scotland' So how do you support the team on the park, give them the drive to win in matches, to trophies and success? That's how it works! So let's just pack it all up then all this football carry on, otherwise what's the point? I think we've seen enough damage done by boycotts.

    • We would still be under the influence of the old board if it wasn't for the boycott. That sustained action by the Rangers fans paved the way for 3b and DK. That is an undeniable fact.
      Support the team at Ibrox, starve the rest of revenue. You don't win matches from the stand. Hopefully the league will collapse and we can move on to a more competitive, entertaining, financially rewarding arena. Do you really want to be playing against Dundee United, Hibs, Inverness for eternity?

  5. You conveniently forget the rearranged game the toms called off in jan. muck macgeady was injured but one of the Tim family (odonnell) had passed away. But low and behold another one (burns far more a legend & still there) also passed away. But no we had to play it days after the epic semi in Florence. Your cheating dirty u classy filthy club were and still are a disgrace

  6. What a stupid , mindless and idiotoc story. Generally the facts are 100% correct. The real, problem however is Scottish football remains immersed in a facination about rights and wrongs over many years instead of just agreeing that we got that wrong, we could have made a better decison, listen and move on. Yet still we go back and forwardmsaying this wisnae fair, or why did they get preferential treatment, little wonder Scottish football, Rangers FC remain pretty shambolic, mperhaps Mr K and the powers at be at the SPFL etc will, along with broadcasters, fans and others begin to realise that other countries work together to manage whatmis our national sport a whole lot better, for what ever reason we remain mired in unconstructive articles such as this, no suggestions, no positive points, just complete mindless mince, before you ask, I am or a t least was a Rangers supporter. J

    • So, it's stupid, mindless and idiotic, but at the same time 100% correct? What kind of nonsense is that? What you seem to be saying is that although Rangers were badly treated, we should all forget about it, stop complaining and be happy to take any old crap that the SFA or SPFL dish out just to keep the peace, And if we forget about all the injustices and the hatred shown towards us, everyone will want to be pals with us again and Scottish football can get back to "the good old days"? What planet are you on? Anyway, you can't even make up your mind as to whether or not you're a Rangers supporter. If you are, then stick up for your team. If you're not, and want to see some real stupidity, idiocy and mindless hatred, then try some of the tim blogs.

    • Just about as constuctive as the article, no take that back, it really aint worth replying to, just highlights the issuesin the Scottish game, mindless and unable to have anything worthwhile to say, as for your ability to use the English language mmmmm J

    • J
      Interesting that you imply poor use of the English language.' What ever' is one word, 'fascination' is the spelling, sentence construction is primitive and your frantic misuse of commas! Well, really!
      Not surprised that you are no longer a Rangers fan. When the going gets tough, eh?

    • Least you read it, why is the going tough, another comma, just for you, primitive, look up the dictionary, your sentence makes as little sense as mine. Back to the article and Scottish football, going nowhere while we continue to drag up the past, then again that is what we appear good at, shame really when we used to have forvexample, a great national team in the 70's and 80's. J

  7. Sporting integrity, is when a new football club jumps the queue over an existing club and enters the third division. Does the new rangers ring a bell.

    • You, obviously don't know what sporting integrity means, so why are you going on about it? And just to keep you right on another matter, there's no such team as new Rangers. Get back to one of your own crap sites and stop making an arse of yourself on here, you ignoramus.

  8. This is a rather silly article. You say "Sporting Integrity" rolled out every time Scotland has a problem with something that could benefit Rangers. Surely that's the point of integrity, that no one benefits unfairly at the expense of others. By default if there is something that could benefit Rangers it's lacking integrity. Same with Celtic, Hearts Hibs et al.

  9. It sound's so stupid to think there's a agenda against us but it's hard not to think that. The pleasure other teams took when we were going down will not be forgotten about. And when we're back up and get a team that can challenge again.boy are they going hate us then and I can't fucken wait WATP

    • Simply do not respond to them. They are empowered by bitterness and envy. This type of deviant activity (trolling) is symptomatic of feelings of anguish and insecurity.
      Any 'normal' football fans who seek sensible discussion on the game are welcome.

  10. Labour government was in power when taxman began the witch-hunt . Who was Celic chairman at the time ? There's a Watergate waiting to be blown wide open here !

    • Eh??? In the name of the wee man. That's paranoia on a scale of the rims across the city.

      Cmon son behave yersel and get aff the waccy

    • Do you also subscribe to the theory that Adolf and Elvis are alive and well, running a ranch in Bolivia, and training Shergar to win the Powderhall sprint for Lord Lucan?
      I do!

  11. THE CHEATIN CUNTS CANNY EVEN WIN A TREBLE WHEN WERE NO THERE.
    THAT BLOWS AWE THEIR PARANOID THEROIES OOT THE WATER.
    I.E.REFS R AWE HUNS E.T.C.

    A CLUB LIKE NO OTHER FOR AWE THE RANG
    REASONS. SCUMMY BASTARDS!

  12. AT LEAST WE WON OUR TITLES WHEN BOTH
    TEAMS WERE IN THE SAME LEAGUE.
    THATS WHY THEIR TAINTED.
    NOT TO MENTION THE PERSECUTION OF ONE CLUB THROUGH PURE HATRED & JEALOUSY!

  13. They say they don't miss us so they won't .is our money when we have our own boycott next season if all goes well & we go up.
    GIVE THEM NOT A PENNY MORE
    FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS !
    WHAT GOES AROUND ?

  14. This is a funny site guys. Just logged on to read up on some Scottish football only to discover there is no mention of football. All I read is hatred, jealousy and bigotry but it is funny. Keep it going guys. you have all made me smile.
    Have a nice day.

    • It's an article about supposed sporting integrity in football, not football as such. There's plenty of jealously and hatred in sport, not just in Scotland between Rangers and Celtic and if it doesn't exist in your part of the footballing world, you're probably the exception rather than the rule. Have a look at one of the other articles if you want to read up about Scottish football and stop being so smug.

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